strive

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb strive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of strive are attempt, endeavor, essay, and try. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Where would attempt be a reasonable alternative to strive?

The words attempt and strive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

When is endeavor a more appropriate choice than strive?

Although the words endeavor and strive have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

When is it sensible to use essay instead of strive?

In some situations, the words essay and strive are roughly equivalent. However, essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of strive?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strive Practitioners who strive to cause no harm to any living creature release captive animals, which benefits the animal and is meant to improve the karma of the person who released it. Elizabeth Carlen, The Conversation, 3 July 2025 By being open about her journey, Lizzo continues to advocate for body positivity — showing that loving yourself and striving for better health can go hand-in-hand. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 July 2025 RedEye, the independent student news publication for Manual, strives to represent student perspectives in its coverage of community issues and events. Grace Fridy, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 Kenn Ricci, founder of Flexjet, is an executive who strives to embody both while also running a business in one of the more challenging industries to be sustainable in, aviation. Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for strive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strive
Verb
  • Ruby Rodriguez, 62, of California, was charged with trespassing in December after trying to gain access to the club.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
  • But James isn’t shying away from trying to earn a spot in the rotation of coach Charles Lee and carving out his own role, understanding how that will benefit him on his journey as a pro.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • But almost six months into his second mandate, his administration has struggled to keep the cost of the staple down.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • But some producers are already struggling thanks to other Trump administration moves and delays.
    Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Building the Band attempts to flip the singing competition formula on its head by relying on chemistry to put a new band together without the members seeing each other.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
  • Square has attempted to bring Wilson’s fantasy gallery to life in the 21st century.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Finally, gradually acclimatizing workers to laboring in extreme heat, instead of expecting people to work full-steam on the first few blazing hot days of the summer.
    Terri Gerstein, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025
  • But his parents, Mexican immigrants in the Bracero program, labored in Woodland fields with no means to send Estrada, one of 15 children, to college.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • This technique works especially well when readers are swimming in too many possibilities.
    Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • During his first term in office, Trump wasn’t exactly kind to Meghan Markle, who was a working member of the royal family at the time.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Enterprising schools and OPMs will endeavor to restructure programs and figure out how to deliver them profitably below the $20,500 cap.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • This is the icebreaker on the first full day of the twenty-eighth Annual OCD Conference in July 2023, a global summit marshaling together hundreds with the illness and, alongside them, therapists who treat it and researchers who endeavor to grasp it.
    Andrew Kay, Harpers Magazine, 28 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Strive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strive. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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